I decided to start blogging to share with others that you can still be active, have an abundance of energy, and accomplish semi-lofty goals all while on a vegan diet. You'll read posts about running, food, activities, and more. Hope you enjoy and Happy Running!

Now, what is awesomeeee about having gone to The Cinnamon Snail last weekend is that ...well...we get to go again this Sunday! The Cinnamon Snail will be making a trip to Trenton (right next door to my humble abode) to grace the visitors and vendors of the Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market with its presence. Check out that link for the deets...okay I won't do that again. I promise. I hope to see you there supporting the local and not-so-local vendors and treating yourself to some delicious vegan nom-noms from the CS food truck!

Onto the sneaks...

I finally got a decent run after teacher orientation this afternoon. Had a plan to go out for 5 miles, but I felt so great!!!that I did an extra half mile.

The sneakers are about an ounce lighter than its previous version (Gel-Excel33 2) and I could really feel the difference. I felt lighter on my feet even though I was very clearly still requiring recovery from the weekend. I got down to 7:10 pace for a few miles which felt easy, but I did start to feel some slight pain in my right foot just before/under my pinky toe. I had pain in this area only once before and that was after I ran my first marathon in shoes that were too narrow for my feet. I'm reallyyy hoping that the pain is just from my body still being in repair mode and not the same thing happening again or else that's another shoe payment I have to fork over!!! Darn you wide feet!

Lastly, I'm starting to think of ways to evolve this blog and I don't know what that means just yet. One of the things I'd love to see is more interaction with all of you so expect something there. I'm playing around with a couple other ideas for now, but we'll see. If anybody has any requests or ideas (including topics for future posts) please shoot me an email (wilfredoben@gmail.com) and I will be sure to address your message promptly.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

This post is a quick one. I have GOT to get used to these shorter days! Between teacher orientation, to fitting in time at my local Y--where I opened up a membership to incorporate swimming into my training--and grading essays for my other part-time job, my hours have rapidly diminished. But...I am not complaining. I'm very grateful for my job and for having a sense of purpose back in my daily routine!

I was very ecstatic to see the results were posted from Saturday's 6 hour race:

I officially got in 38.74 miles in about 5 hours and 54 minutes (the remaining 6 minutes were run off the course because they stopped runners at 10 minute countdown mark due to the inability to finish the 1.5 mile loop in time for it to count). This comes out to about a 9:08 per mile pace. Given that this data was gathered by the timing chip attached to my shoe and not the rubberband lap-counting method they also employed, I take it that my Garmin was indeed experiencing some difficulties tracking me in the woods. I ended up running faster and more than what my Garmin had me at...Sweet!

Next, please check out these two articles. The first is from VegNews.com regarding Detroit and PETA. The second is from Runner's World which features a crazily-shaped track in China. My thoughts: What the!?

Tomorrow I will be posting some pictures from a lunch outing Val and I took in Red Bank, NJ to try out The Cinnamon Snail vegan food truck for the first time! If you don't know about this food truck, it has just recently become the #1 place to eat in NYC according to Yelp's 2014 (its first) poll and the #4 spot in the whole country. That's just ridiculously incredible and to top it off...it's right in Red Bank every Sunday, but I don't know if it's through the Winter as well. Google it! But check out their website here and be sure to find them on Facebook because they update their schedule and hours weekly!

Monday, July 28, 2014

Saturday was incredible. Challenging for sure, but the Montour 24 race was a great experience. Just a tidbit about this race: there was a 6 hour option; a 12 hour option; and, hence "Montour 24", a 24 hour option. I took on the 6 hour option as it was my first time running continuously around a looped course and I had no idea how my running would be affected.

Val, her uncle, and I all woke up around 3:15 Saturday morning to have some coffee and try and wake up for our 2 1/2 hour drive to Danville, PA for the inaugural Montour 24 Endurance Runs event. Luckily, Val's uncle was fine driving the whole way and I was able to get an additional hour of sleep in during the ride. When Val woke me up, I was a bit worried. It was raining. Now that's probably one of the last worries an "ultra runner" should have, but I truly don't know how it feels to run in inclement weather for anything longer than an hour. Soggy shoes and feet. Blisters. Wet, heavier clothes. Nothing to really fantasize about, but fortunately that didn't happen.

We arrived at the race area with about 15 minutes to spare before the start of the race. I barely had time to..err....unload...before final race announcements were spoken and the start of the run was announced.

In fact, I was talking to Val and shaking out the jitters when I heard the 10 second countdown and had to run back to the starting line to meet back up with the group. You can see them all gathered around in the back by the Start/Finish blowup.

Let me break the rest of my review down by sections to avoid a very scatterbrained post.

Running attire

So I started the race in the clothes pictured above. A six year old, cotton t-shirt from high school that I slept in. I've run in this shirt before and just went with my gut on it. It lasted me an hour before it was too wet and heavy for my liking. Then I changed into a moisture-wicking running top that only lasted me about another hour and fifteen until...yes...my right nipple started to chafe a bit from the abrasion that was occurring while running. This might sound weird or funny, but it's no joke. I did not want to be these runners that's for sure. So because the nips were too sensitive for a shirt, it was shirtless for the rest of the race which really felt like heaven.

Next, shoes. I went with my trusty Asics Gel-Excel33 2's for the race and opted to not change into my Asics trail running shoes. Since half of the course was on rocky trail, I thought I might get small rocks stuck in the treads which would have been quite annoying if that were to happen or continue to happen. The sneaks got me to the end of the run and they are now retired from running, which is perfect timing because...

My Asics Gel-Excel 33 3's arrived over the weekend!!! So excited to test them out.

Course

So, as I mentioned before, half of the course was rocky/loose gravel, while the other half was more grassy/rooty/dirt path type of trail. It was very runnable which is why I decided to stick to the road trainers for the race. All runners, no matter the duration of their event, had to run on the same 1.5 mile loop course. And it was awesome! I was so nervous about running around in circles for 6 hours, but I didn't get tired of it at all. Being able to see Val and her uncle regularly for support was a great plus and being able to always be close to other runners was motivating as well. There were times I felt a bit wobbly toward the end, but then I would see a 12 hour or 24 hour runner pushing through and I knew I couldn't slow down.

I stuck with the fuel that I laid out in my previous post (scroll down to find) with two variations:

1) I ate an additional honey stinger for quick energy for the last hour of my run and

2) I only had two single Clif Bloks blocks although I brought a whole sleeve and another half sleeve.

For hydration, I was all over the coconut water and water with Nuun Tri Berry electrolyte tablets I brought. I had at least 50 ounces of liquids and only had to pee once!

Calories consumed: Approx. 765

Calories burned (See image of watch): 4,254.

Volunteers/Spectators/Organizers

The environment of people was perfect for running. The spectators/support crew alongside Val and her uncle were cheering me on every time I looped around and were even helping to crew for me when Val and her uncle went for a 90 minute run! I mean the energy at an ultra event is truly a special kind of energy. It's not like your loud, festive, crazy energy at triathlons, 5ks, or half marathons. It's really a much calmer, but still very genuine energy that perfectly reflects that fact that we are in Nature's realm.

The organizers clearly planned very well for this race. It seemed to have been run flawlessly and the communication through Facebook and e-mail was always motivating, explanatory, and remained open for runners to ask their questions privately and/or publicly.

Fellow Runners

It takes a special person to run an ultra. And we are all special, aren't we? So what does that mean? We can all run an ultra marathon!

There was once female runner who informed us via Facebook that this was her first ultramarathon (she loved it) and is now thinking about running a "regular" marathon!

These runners come in all different shapes, sizes, and ages which was just an incredible testament to the beauty of ultra running. There was a much older man, probably in his late 60s at least, who I believe was speed-walking the entire 12 hour event due to what probably was age/physical-related limitations to his ability to run. But he was out there. And he kept going. Every time a runner ran past him (Bill was his name) and expressed their support, he simply replied, "Go, go, go," while gesturing his arm in a forward motion.

So that's what I'm going to continue to do. Go, go, go.

For those of you who are worried about how your body will feel during/after an ultramarathon. It's nothing soothing. The run is quite a load of stress on the body, but the body is an amazing thing. It recovers. Just like it's meant to do. (It recovers faster on a plant-based diet, too!) I haven't run yet, but I will ease back into running with the help of proper stretching, nutrition, swimming, and biking and should be registering for my next ultra to take place sometime in August or September with another in October. Crazy, I know. But it's what I've learned that I love to do. Test and challenge the body. See how much my body is capable of.

I hope this review has gotten you somewhat interested in the possibility of running your first race whether it be a 5k or an ultramarathon. Who cares. I would love to hear from you via Facebook or email (wilfredo.ben@gmail.com) and talk more about what smart training would entail to complete your first or, perhaps, next running event if you desired to reach out.

Friday, July 25, 2014

I can't believe it's already Friday. I will be waking up around 3:15 tomorrow morning and heading out the door by 3:45 hopefully. Check in ends at 6:30 (these kind of races are much more lenient than what you may be used to so I probably have a 10-15 minute window) and the race starts at 7am. 6 hours of running puts me finishing at 1pm. Not too bad, right? Not quite.

As many of you already know, the race/run is on a 1.5 mile loop and that is the part that I am most nervous about. After having gotten up to a 5 hour training run already and feeling good afterwards, I should be fine to run 6 hours. But those 5 hours did not involve me running around for a mile and a half. In fact, I didn't practice running in 1-2 mile loops at all during my training. I always thought about it, but I think I wanted to actually enjoy my runs and I figured I'll just handle whatever surprise (an unpleasant one I'm sure) comes my way.

New Run, New shoes (ordered at least)

Asics Gel-Excel33 3

I ordered these guys (in the darker blue) a couple days ago after two weeks of putting off buying new running shoes. I had noticed that Excel33 2's that I've been running in have been showing serious signs of wear and tear (literally).

I noticed these tears in my shoes a couple weeks ago and thought, "Man. This shoe is great to run in but they just don't last long. Then I started thinking about just how long they did last me. The best way to do this is by figuring out the mileage on the shoe, not the months you've had them. It turns out that I've logged over 800 miles on these shoes. WAY over what is recommended (approx. 300 depending on the kind of training and the surface).

I brought my trail running shoes (Asics Fuji Trainer 3) for tomorrow's 6 hour, but I am worried that the loose gravel that I'm expecting tomorrow will ruin the treads. So as of now, I am planning on running in my 33 2's which will probably be their last Hurrah! This is my second pair of the 33 2's and the first pair is what I wore for my 50 mile trail run last October which wasn't too pretty. Hopefully the same outcome can be and is avoided.

They're excited for tomorrow's race!

Speaking of running shoes. It is so important to have more than one. How many of you only have one pair that you run in? If you don't run every day then it is probably fine, but if you do run every day or close to that, then you really need to consider rotating between at least two shoes.

One of those pairs can be for your more moderate runs while the other can be for your faster workouts (you'd probably want a lighter training shoe for this). Or perhaps you like to run on the trails sometimes and so you might consider rotating between a trail shoe and a road trainer. The possibilities are endless! Almost. But the benefits are truly numerous.

1) Reduce the risk of injury.

2) Slow down the wear and tear on your shoes.

3) Save money (your shoes will last longer when you're not constantly running in one pair)

4) Get the most out of your workouts

The list can keep going.

Snapped a picture of Val's most recent running shoes. She sticks with Brooks while I stick with Asics.

She loves their PureConnect series. The blue and the black (foreground) are the same model while the yellow are their newer version, the PureConnect 3's. Take a look at the black shoes with the pink running sections on the bottoms. Anything catching your eye? How about the fact that they are completely worn away!

Val was running in these shoes like this for who knows how long and it was definitely not good for her running muscles. The cushion is completely worn away which means not only is the balance off, but her muscles are forced to absorb more of the shock from pounding while running which makes her legs tired faster.

If your shoes look like these then please do yourself a favor and go buy new shoes. If you have a pair of running shoes it's because you care about your health, right? Then go and invest in your health by buying a new pair of running shoes!!!

For more on the importance/benefits of rotating your running shoes check out these two sites. The second link will bring you to a Runner's World forum so that you can read what other runners think about this idea.

Getting nervous for my run, but it's all a mental game now. The physical training is there. Let's see what the mind can do!

Happy Running!

PS: Here's a list of what I'll be bringing tomorrow to fuel my body during the run:

2 Clif Shot Gels

1 & 1/2 sleeves of Strawberry Clif Bloks

1 Bonk Breaker bar

1 Honey Stinger (honey is barely in my diet anymore, but it is such a light bar which is great for an early morning start)

And I will be using Nuun Tri-Berry in water for electrolyte replenishment

There will be an aid station which will probably have snacks, sandwiches, potatoes, and soups The 12 hour and 24 hour runners will definitely be needing all of that so I will probably stick to my own fueling goodies and grab a pb&j for the ride home!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

I received some great news today. I will be coaching middle school Fall soccer at the Trenton school I am to be teaching at this coming school year. I am either going to be the assistant coach or the head coach which depends on one other candidate's decision, but either way I am psyched! I have been looking forward to coaching youth sports for years now.

While I see myself as having the potential to be a pretty good track, cross-country, or other running program coach, I see this as a valuable opportunity--a stepping stone--that I can use to open up such coaching possibilities in the future. Maybe I'll get to be like Jason Hartmann who has just retired from racing to focus on developing his coaching career.

So there are less than 3 days left before I am to toe the line for my 6 hour run put on my Montour 24 in Danville, PA. I am so thankful that Val and her uncle will be there for moral support as I make my way around a 1.5 mile loop for 6 hours. Going to be interesting.

But what I'm kind of worried about at this point during the week is that after my 5 mile workout this morning which involved going sub 6:30 for 3 miles, I started to feel slight strain in both of my feet around the arch areas. As of now, they are better (I was walking around in flip flops earlier which wasn't helpful) and I'm hoping that the strain will be gone by Saturday morning. It's a good thing I have a rest day tomorrow and can take one Friday as well if I need to. I might head to the pool and do some swimming and pool running in the morning to get some cardio in.

Had lost my Moji 360 Mini for a few weeks, but this foot pain made me look just that much harder. Found it in, of course, an obvious location: a bag full of running items. Going to keep massaging my arches periodically over the next couple of days which should help reduce any inflammation and stress that might be present in these areas. Hopefully that cherry concentrate gets sent over to those spots next time I take it. Oh...that's not how that works? Awkward...

Speaking of the tart cherry juice concentrate, Runner's World posted an article on the recovery powers of ginger for athletes. Does this mean I need to try ginger out next?

That's all for today!

Happy Running!

PS: Congratulations to my beautiful girlfriend, Val, for being an offered a job for now into the school year. Great way to get some part time hours in and boost her resume so we can get on to the next chapter in our lives. For her, this includes med school so she can become a Naturopathic Doctor. Go Val!

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

To watch a video on how to cut open a jackfruit, click here (link opens to Youtube).

Val introduced me to the Jackfruit last week. She saw one at a local grocery store and showed me some Youtube clips of people trying to open the fruit. She went ahead and bought her own to try out.

This isn't even as big as they get. She might have needed one of those BJ's bed carts if it was any bigger!

How cool is this??!! No, I did not take this picture. Jackfruit are typically grown in South and Southeast Asia.

I ran a 7 mile run this morning with some fartleks to keep to the speedwork theme of the week. I decided to run again later on in the afternoon, but when I was laced up and ready to go, I got an idea to bike instead. I haven't biked outside (not counting biking to class) in about a year so I knew I couldn't bike for too long. After 15 minutes of biking back and forth on a .7 mile road near my house I headed back to my house and went for a 3 mile run. Triathletes and cross-trainers call this a "brick" because when you run after biking, your legs feel like bricks. This was DEFINITELY the case today, but it was still a good workout.

Almost ready for my 6 hour run in Danville, PA Saturday morning!

Can't wait!

That's all for today. Happy Running.

PS: If you leave a Chia Pod in a hot car overnight and think that sticking it back in the fridge for a few days will somehow reverse what the heat did...you will regret trying to see if your efforts worked. Trust me.

Monday, July 21, 2014

It was rough waking up today after a weekend of fairly early morning wake-up alarms, but I had to do it and get on with the day!

On Saturday, Val's little cousin competed in her first triathlon at the NJ State Triathlon sprint distance...and loved it! She's all set to do another one next summer and I couldn't help but remember that I had that exact feeling when I completed the same exact race back in 2012. Only difference is that I told myself (and Val) that I was going to go elite in 3-4 years! Pshhh. That ain't happening. I like the triathlon experience and the tri-sport training is pretty interesting and builds a lot of discipline, but I do prefer to focus on running for now.

Me and my niece after the 2012 sprint triathlon. Maybe a future triathlete?

Yesterday, I was up even earlier for the second day of the NJ State Triathlon which featured the Olympic distance. Val and her uncle were competing. Last year I completed this event with Val and her uncle as well and it was just dreadful. We were going through a heart wave during that week and at it had to have been in the mid-to-high 80's by the time I started the run. Even the water was a scorching 91 degrees. That swim was the worst. experience. ever.

Val and I after our first Olympic triathlon event at NJ State Triathlon. It was also Val's first race as a member of the Rutgers Triathlon club team.

It was so great to cheer Val and her uncle on yesterday. The triathlon experience is so inspiring and the positive vibes are just contagious. Triathletes of all different shapes and sizes (unfortunately not ethnic or SES backgrounds) were out to compete and it was a beautiful day for racing and an even better day to celebrate healthy, active lifestyles.

Even a pig came out to enjoy and support one of her owners! It definitely stole the spotlight for a while there.

Val and her uncle after her uncle finished. Val was being challenged to a rematch after beating her uncle last year. Only one possible result. My girl won. Now her uncle can focus on his Ironman Triathlon next month in Louisville, KY. Go Tim!

Blinged out, Val shows off her three medals. One for finishing the event. One for placing 3rd in her age group (!!!). And the third for being the 1st of those girls to be from New Jersey (it was the NJ State Triathlon after all).

We celebrated the day yesterday with some healthy relaxation and cooking out with my family in my backyard. My parents were out at Whole Foods shopping for the small cook out when Val and I read that it was National Ice Cream Day. Immediately we dialed up my mom and asked her to bring back home some vegan ice cream. Our pick: Almond Dream's Toffee Almond Fudge.

I know it's no longer National Ice Cream Day, but if you live near a grocery store, please get out there and try this amazing vegan ice cream treat! While you're letting the cold, refreshing, dairy-free goodness melt in your mouth (or perhaps chewing the dairy-free goodness), just pretend that it is National Ice Cream Day and forget that it's nearly 10pm if you are reading this in the NJ area.

To run off said non-dairy goodness, I decided to get in some speedwork. As my Montour 6 Hour run is this Saturday, I decided that this past Friday would be my last long run (20.5 miles around 8:45 pace) and I would rest and focus on lower mileage and speedwork for the next week. So I rested over the weekend and decided to get in some mile repeats on the track today.

Val snapped this photo of me warming up on the track. I only did 3 mile repeats and a pair of 400's (and a warm-up and cool-down of course) before I called it a day and went home to make myself a banana almond milk smoothie with the tart cherry juice.

The tart cherry juice seems to be working its magic and/or I'm just getting a bit more fit. After several weeks of mostly slow and longer runs, I was able to run each of my miles (3 of them total) today at 5:40 pace or under. While that may support the possibility that the tart cherry juice is helping to boost recovery, the fact that I ran a track session without any sudden joint twinges or pains is something I think I have to credit the concentrate for achieving. I felt like my joints had just been lubed up with some WD-40 before I took off on the track and it felt great! I mean, the taste of the cherry in my smoothies or just by the spoonful is enough to make me get another bottle when I finish this one, but I'm definitely keeping tart cherry concentrate in my diet for the foreseeable future.

Okay everybody. It's a late post so that's all for now.

The weatherman is predicting some pretty warm temps for tomorrow (in my area) so if you are planning some cardio, get out there early so there are no excuses!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Decided to put a tempo on my schedule for today and was really glad I did it. After my last tempo run two weeks ago, I was kind of nervous. I think I posted about how the sun kicked my A and I just broke down after only 7 minutes or so. Today was much breezier and a much cooler temperature (63 degree or so), but I was still kind of nervous. My weekly mileage has been increasing and I've been running twice a day a bit more often; these miles have often been on the slower side as well. Additionally, I HATE doing any kind of speedwork in the morning when my legs are not even awake yet.

But I got out there and after a mile warm-up I ran 25 minutes (I'll work my way back up to 40 at least) at tempo pace. I'm nowhere near the kind of shape I used to be in for speedier workouts, but I was happy with the pace I got down to.

When I got home I immediately grabbed the blender and whipped up a banana almond milk smoothie with the tart cherry juice concentrate. This time, though, I added blueberries, chia seeds, and cacao powder for some added antioxidants and nutrition.

Not the best picture, but it'll do.

Next on my short list of topics today is brown rice. My childhood memories are full of family cookouts and dinner as a family at the table. As a Puerto Rican though, the most common food served was an still is rice. White rice or yellow rice, which is really just white rice in our case with a bunch of seasoning. Ever since Val and I went vegan though, my parents have altered their own food choices and have switched over to brown rice which much better for you than white rice. It breaks down slower and is more nutritious as well.

Well, in addition to my reduced processed food intake I've also been experimenting with a low fat, more carbohydrate thing (because I don't want to say "diet" or "plan"). Given that brown rice has now taken over white rice in my home, it has been readily available, in its cooked form of course, every night for the past several nights. And so I have eating said brown rice almost every night and, actually, for lunch or breakfast as well. I figured that since my mileage has been bumped up than these slow burning carbohydrates should help me out some during my runs.

So here was my dinner (okay, maybe I had two bowls) last night and I had some more brown rice and a smidgen of hummus (processed, I know but cut me just a bit of slack here) for brunch this morning.

Loving it so far, but let's see how far this goes before I can't stand to look at a bowl of rice!

Lastly, please please please watch this video through. I was never and will never be a ninja warrior fan, but this video came up on my Facebook newsfeed and I decided to check it out. This woman rocked the course and is absolutely inspiring when you think of the determination and dedication to fitness that this woman has which allowed her to completely crush this course.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

This 16 oz bottle cost me $14.99 at the local natural foods store, but it's located on Amazon, for a little over $10 which is a pretty good price. I blended 1 tablespoon of the concentrate with some almond milk and a banana and it was delicious! My next try might include two bananas for a thicker smoothie and some cacao powder for added deliciousness and nutrients.

According to the NMA post, after a week of consuming the cherry concentrate, Matt's shoulder, which has pretty much always been a bother, began to improve and he was able to sleep through the night which was apparently a rarity. I figured that since I had slight knee pain that comes and goes (ever since sprinting for my HS track team) I might as well give it a try. What I think is really going to be a plus though is the boost in recovery for athletes. I have quite a season of ultras (possibly 4 or more in the next 4 months) and I think I can use all of the antioxidants and muscle recovery boosters (vegan and natural) that I can find.

I'll be sure to keep you all update on how I feel the cherry concentrate is working. Basically, I'll be letting you know how my body felt during a run after a previous day's hard run/workout. Given that the knee pain isn't too persistent, it is not likely I will notice any effects until a month or more after I realized I haven't felt pain, if that's the case.

So while Val and I were driving down to Asheville, I heard on a Rich Roll Podcast that Killian Jornet (the most amazing sky runner on the planet) has a book out that was published last year! As soon as we got to the B&B, while Val was getting ready for dinner, I got onto Amazon and ordered the book. It just came in the mail yesterday and while I have a couple books I need to read for teacher orientation that starts in less than 2 weeks, I will be weaving this book into my reading sessions for sure!

My runs today were a bit sporadic. I had no idea what the weather was going to be like in the morning after a couple of days of weird stormy weather here in central NJ. I figured I'd wake up early and just see what my body felt like doing. I did just that and as I was grabbing the newspaper form outside, it began to rain and the skies didn't look to pleasant. I decided that I will just get in a quick 3 miles and then take off again in the afternoon after the skies cleared up a bit. So all in all I got in a good 10 miles today after a pretty tough 13 total miles (including a track workout) in yesterday's humidity.

Needing the protein, but avoiding energy/protein bars for the time being, I whipped up some tofu scramble which, come one, definitely looks like the real deal! And by "real" deal, I mean the old egg version deal that I would love for you to cut back on. If you cook up scrambled eggs for you or someone else at home pretty often, I encourage (okay, I challenge) you to try substituting firm tofu for eggs.

It's super easy to make. Cut the tofu into small cubes and as it is cooking, just keep cutting or dicing as you would some eggs. Add whatever vegetables you want and if you are a cheesy scrambled eggs person, add some vegan cheese or add nutritional yeast like I did. Find them at the links or look for them at your local natural foods store.

Live by this

About Me

Hi there! My name is Will and as you can tell by the blog title, there are two things that take up much of my life: healthy vegan food and running. I love to run longer distances and I do so on a plant-based diet which my girlfriend and I both began during the summer of 2012. I'm all for promoting and talking about a healthy lifestyle so if you ever have any questions or comments about veganism, fitness, or running, please don't hesitate to share them by clicking on the comments button at the end of each post.